How local mobile theatre company is creating movie magic with tickets at just Rs 100

What comes after roti, kapda aur makaan? It should be entertainment if one asks Sushil Chaudhary, the man who aims to take cinemas to every nook and corner of the country. Chaudhary is the founder and CEO of the mobile theatre company PictureTime that screens films at inflatable theatres across the country. "Everybody was talking about it but we took the cinema literally to people," says Chaudhary, who is currently in Panjim, Goa as PictureTime is the screening partner of the 55th edition of International Film Festival of India (IFFI).

It's a sweet home coming for PictureTime. Eight years ago, the company began their association with IFFI with the screening of SS Rajamouli's Baahubali: The Beginning. It continued for the next three years until pandemic played a spoilsport. In the last two years, Chaudhary says, the company was regrouping and missed coming to IFFI. "So, when NFDC and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting approached us, we immediately said yes. The number one problem for IFFI was the number of screens. It only has INOX. This year, we have put two inflatable theatres."

If one happened to be in or around Panjim over the last week, it's impossible to miss the IFF hype - the posters, standees and signboards won't let it happen anyway. And once entered the primary IFFI venue of Kala Academy, one could spot the red coloured PictureTime inflatable theatre anyone could walk in to catch a film. The playlist at this theatre ranges from Pa Ranjit's latest work, Thangalaan, Rajamouli's blockbuster RRR (2022), Ranbir Kapoor's much-loved 2011 romance Rockstar to Hindi film classics like Guide (1965), Bobby (1973) and Jane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983).

Unlike the rest of the festival, which needs a prior approved accreditation, PictureTime theatre makes no distinction. So, at a given time, the theatre is filled with festival attendees and non-delegates. Another such inflatable theatre is operating in Sanquelim. Not just that, PictureTime has also set up a mobile open-air screen that has been travelling across North and South Goa. Chaudhary is confident that PictureTime will grow bigger by the next edition of IFFI. We wanted to put five theatres time but couldn't due to budget constraints. But next year we will do it in a bigger manner," he says.

Chaudhary's self-belief is not without a reason. From the inception of his company till now, he and his team have put inflatable theatres in more than 600 locations across the country. "These many locations in 18 states. In a state like Orissa, which has very less screen density, I have screened films in all its 29 districts. More than 70 percent of the districts in Orissa have no cinema penetration," he shares. It's rather unfortunate that for a cinema-obsessed country, the magic of movies continues to elude a large population. "India not only has poor theatre density but also doesn't have a clean entertainment option. For filmmakers to make movies and for movies to make money, the only answer are the cinemas, not OTT," Chaudhary asserts. Trade experts say that India has around 9,000 screens. For context, let's look at China, Chaudhary points out. "In 2007, it had more than 3000 screens and in 2015, it had around 55000 screens. Aamir Khan's Dangal, which released in 2016, made Rs 400 crores in India but Rs 1800 crores in China," he says.

Chaudhary is singularly focused on making films available to the country's remotest areas. "The government recognises 117 districts as having below-poverty line issues. And in all those districts, we are setting up theatres." The purpose is to ensure a safe, enjoyable recreational experiences for the youth and families in small towns.

"You hear the stories of couples in small towns being harassed for going out and spending time together. People in the interiors want togo out in quiet, peace and safety but they do not have any place because if you go to the single screens, you are labelled. We managed to convince state governments and the centre government that entertainment zones are very important," Chaudhary mentions.

A 150-seater inflatable theatre takes a couple of days to set up. Five to six people can set up the full screen, and another such team can run full operation, we are told. "The idea is to make the theatre at a very efficient cost and keep the monthly operational cost below Rs 2 lakhs but do not compromise on the quality," he shares. So people get an air-conditioned theatre with Dolby 5.1 big screen and stories that are both Indian and foreign.

And because at the heart of PictureTime is to make cinema available to low-income areas, the ticket pricing is accordingly.

"100 Rs is our standard ticket price. Add Rs 50 for popcorn. The pricing depends on the expenditure power of a place as well on the film's producer and distributor. Like in Chhattisgarh, we have kept the ticket price to Rs 70, in Rajasthan it's Rs 150-200. Normally, when a family of four goes out to watch a movie, it ends up spending Rs five-six thousand. We want it to all fall under Rs 1000," Chaudhary says.

Providing a wholesome experience to families has been another big pursuit of Chaudhary and his team at PictureTime. "We are creating family plexes. The first one will be in Bharatpur, Rajasthan. December 24 is the inauguration. The family plex will have nine retail stores, including food court, and live performances. Cinema theatre should anchor this arrangement and it's a lifestyle we are taking to these places. Post the '90s revolution, when the multiplex culture entered India, theatres went inside the malls. What we are trying to do is take malls to the theatres. So, imagine a theatre and a Dilli Haat type set up around it. So, I am creating a rural mall. We have tried this arrangement in Goa and other places and it has worked."

Chaudhary has found patrons in Indian filmmakers. "During our first IFFI association, we could show the theatre to filmmaker Kabir Khan and other senior people in the industry. Kabir Khan called the experience brilliant. Every filmmaker I met, from SS Rajamouli to Siddharth Roy Kapur, loved the idea and they all asked me to keep adding as many screens as possible."